Biblical game apparatus



(No Model.)

W. yS. JAMES. BIBLIGAL GAME APPARATUS.

No. 595,440. Patented Deo. 14,1897.

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UNITED STATESA PATENT OFFICE.

WILL S. JAMES, OF WACO, TEXAS.

BIBLICAL GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,440, dated December 14, 1897.

Application filed October 5, 1895. Serial No. 564,798. (No model.) v

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILL S. JAMES, a citi-u zen of the United States, residing at Waco, in the county of McLennan and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

designated by andhaving reference to thev construction and characteristics of the City of the New Jerusalem as described in Revelation XXI, 19 and 20.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims. A

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a game apparatus including a cube representing the City of the New Jerusalem as described in the above reference. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the four walls of the structure. Fig. `JC/isa plan view of a book comprising four cards which are used in connection with the game.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The structure which constitutes the practical embodiment of lmy invention consists of a cube having four walls l, a top 2, and a bottom 3, the four walls consisting, respectively, y

of plates of cardboard or its equivalent connected at their contiguous edges to form foldj ingor hinged joints, whereby said walls may be arranged in a common plane, as indicated described. the position indicated in Figs. l and 2 or in the operative position, I employpa boX 4, of

` which the bottom forms the `bottom 3 of the cube, while the side walls 5 extend upward from the edges of said bottom and embrace the side walls 1. The exterior surfaces of the walls 5 of the base 4 are inscribed to represent masonry, and the lines thereon are arranged to represent twelve courses of stone, which are suitably designated by the names of the twelve precious stones used in the construction of the foundation of the City of the New Jerusalem as described in Revelation XXI, 19 and 20.

The walls of the cube are provided with pockets 6, preferably twelve in number, with three arranged on each side and respectively contiguous to gates l, which represent the twelve gates of the City of the New Jerusalem. These gates are designated by numerals arranged consecutively from l to 12, and contiguous to each gate is placed the name of one of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel, as described in Ezekiel XLIX, 3l to 34. Contiguous to and preferably above each naine of a tribe is the number of the tribe in the order of birth, as found in Genesis XXIX and XXX. Y

In connection with this structure I em- 4ploy a plurality of cards which are divided by suitable distinguishing marks into a plurality of books, each book lcontaining four cards. The designating marks on the cards aresuch as to show the relation between the cards belonging to the several books, and the books are designated by the names which are ceptacles or pockets arranged contiguous to the representations of the gates in the walls of the structure. In playing the cards are shuffled and dealt to the several participants and are played and drawn for in a manner used, respectively, in connection with the re.- 'I

similar to that employed in the game of Old n enough to assemble the cards of a number of books whose numerical values aggregate more than those of another player possesses the advantage over said other player. The player who has assembled books whose numerical values aggregate the most when all of the IDO cards have been played and all of the books formed wins the game. This feature, however, may be changed as desired and does not form an essential factor of my invention.

In the construction illustrated in the drawings four cards represent a book, said four i cards being numbered consecutively from l to 4f at the upper ends thereof,and each card in the book in addition to this number bears the name of the book, such name being the same as one of the gates of thestructure-as, forinstance, Benjamin-togetl1erwith the number of the tribe in the order of birth, the name of the one of the twelve apostles who belonged to that tribe, as Judas Iscariot, and the name of one of the precious stonesenterg ing into the construction of the foundation of the City of the New Jerusalem correspondi'ng with the number of the tribe-as, for instance, amethyst. In addition to'this 'each vcard of said book bears the number of the gate,as 5. Thus the book belongs-or relates to the receptacle or pocket having 'the name Benjamin, which is described as that of the twelfth tribe of the House of Israel, and -this name appears at the top of the first card or card No. l of the "group, as shown in Fig. et. The other cards of the book in order have the name of the apostle, the precious stone representing the course which is related to the particular tribe, and the number of the -tribe arranged at the tops thereof, whereby each card is designated vand distinguished i vfromth'e others,first,by its number, (the numbers ranging from 1 to 4,) and, second, by the names or characters which-combine to form the group upon each card of that book. All of the names or characters'of the book appear on each of the cards, and hence'while vo'n'ca'rd No. l the characters arearranged in the `followin g order-namely, the y11a-meot' ythe tribe, the number of the tribe, ythe -p'recior'is` stone, and the apostlethe order observed; upon 'card No. 2 is the Aname of the apostle, 4the name of the tribe, the number `of the tribe, Vandthe precious stone. l Againyonithei third `card of the book theorder is the 'namel 4of 'the'precious stone, the-nameof the apostle,

the name of lthe'tribe, and, fnally, the lnumi beii of 'the tribe. In addition -to the abovci `each card bears a biblical reference, and ther object 'is to establish a relation :by sub'je'cti ybetween the references on the several cardsi combining to form a boo'k. vFor instance, i

adopting the above-mentioned 'book desig-l Yna'ted by thename of the tribe of Benjamin as an example, the cards thereof respectivelyi bear the references Isaiah I, 18, Titus fIII,`5, Nahum I, 7, and Matthew VII, 7. i

IVhile tlie'above'descriptionis deiinite and specific with relation ito the construction, characteristics, and peculiarities o'f thebib-` lical subject adopted, it is obviousthat'other` lsubjects may be adopted and lapplied Einfal similar manner without departing from Atlhe essential'fe'atures of my invention, the bibli-` cal subject having been selected as preferable and having for its object to furnish an entertaining means of impressing biblical lessons upon the mind and establishing a relation between the various facts introduced.

The names and references employed in connection with the pockets and cards form designating 'characters which are used to establish a relation between the cards and the pockets; but it is obvious that when the game is constructed with reference to another subject the characters employed will have relation with the selected subject.

The structural part of the invention is adapted to be folded into a small compass by removing the walls l from the base and folding them in parallel planes, as above mentioned, said walls with the Icards'employed lbeing arranged yin the base of which 'the top 2 forms a suitable lid. In Vorder'to provide for 'turning the structure with facility, whereby either of lthe wal'ls thereof may be brought opposite'a'given player, I employ a vswivel 8, consistingof a depending spindle 9, mounted in a socket l0, said socket being'd'esi'gned "to rest 'upon the surface of a table.

Various changes in the form, proportion, 'and the minor details of construction may be resorted lto without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages 'of this invention.

n Having described my invention, what I claim -is- A 1. A game apparatus having'a hollow base or receptacle, a plurality of foldably-connected -p'late's 4equal in number Withfthe sides of the base or receptacle and ,provided with vvpockets for 1the reception'of'cards, and a lid lor-coverfadapted to 't "the top /of thebase or Ir`ec`ep'tac`le,'or the upperledges 'o'f `said Yplates when arranged vertically with their lower yedges in the base and "contiguous yto the severa-l Walls thereof, and cards arranged in the pockets, substantially as specified.

2. 'game apparatus having a 'hollow'base or receptacle, a plurality of plates hinged 2together at their-contiguous lateral edges'and 'adapted gto fold in parallel planes,feach plate being approximately equal in area to thefbottom'o'f 'the 4base or receptacle, whcrebyfthe yfolded plates maybe 'arranged wholly Within 'the base, 'and a lid or'cover'adapted to Ifit the lbase -or receptacle, or 'the upper -edgesof the platesfwhen the latter are 'arranged vertically 'in Sthe base respectively yin contact with lthe sides Ithereof,fand -cards -to -it lin :poc'kets'on lthe plates, lsubstantially as speciiied.

, 3. Aga'meapparatushavingahollowcubic structure comprising a fhollow open-'topped base, a -plurality of Ahingedlyiconnccted pocketecarryin'g plates arranged -vertically y:incon- -tact respectively with thesides of the 3base,'a

removable ilid or cover, and cardsito'iitinfthe pockets, substantiallyfas speciiied.

4. A'gameapparatus'having'a cubic structure-comprisinga hollowbase provided 4with a'swivelincluding a'stationary'socketan'd a 'spindle Amounted itherein, and 'a 'plurality' of IOO IIO

connected pocket-carrying plates arranged vertically in contact with the sides of the base, and cards for the pockets, substantially as specified. y

5. A game apparatus having side Walls provided with pockets lfor the reception of playing-cards, said pockets being designated, re-

tacles, adapted to be arranged in groups or books for insertion in said pockets, the several cards belonging to each group being distinguishably designated from the cards of the other groups by a character or characters corresponding with or having reference to the designating characters of the pockets or receptacles, substantially as specified.

7. The herein-described game apparatus comprising a hollow base or receptacle having rectangular Walls and a bottom pivotally mounted upon a support, an inner rectangular structure consisting of hinged sections iitting Within the base, extending above it, and provided With a cover, and a series of named or designated pockets formed in a continuous strip arranged upon the outside of each section, and a number of groups of cards, each `card of any group having a designation corresponding to that of the pockets and adapted for insertion therein, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my ownY I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILL S. JAMES.

Witnesses:

W. E. JONES, W. T. LUCE. 

